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Will Council tab Geary, Lemay ... or go its own way?

CITY CLERK Michael Geary was considered on the inside track to being named acting city manager by the City Council on Monday night. But another strong candidate has emerged: Chief Assessor Sue Lemay.

Lemay emailed councilors on Wednesday: "I am offering my services as the Interim City Manager because I have knowledge of every department in this city," Lemay wrote. "I know what each department is responsible for and how it supports the overall goal to keep the city running efficiently and effectively, which is the main objective in the appointment of an Interim City Manager."

Lemay has worked in the city for more than 32 years. She is married to former Councilor Curtis Lemay.

The name of Department of Public Works Commissioner and Assistant City Manager Ralph Snow has also been floated.

There are also still rumblings the council may look to retired Cambridge City Manager Robert Healy, a Lowell resident. While the city charter says an acting city manager must be a department head, nothing would prevent the council from hiring Healy as city manager for a few months.

The interim or acting manager would not start until after Lynch steps aside on March 10. The council meets Monday at 5 p.m. to discuss the selection.

SHOWING SOME of the fire she exhibited as a School Committee member, Alison Laraba lit into councilors on Tuesday night for their handling of former Mayor Patrick Murphy's portrait, and the tabling of the Library Board appointment of Salmira Mitchell.

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Laraba served on the School Committee from 2009 to 2011, and famously stormed out of a committee meeting when her colleagues would not reopen contract talks with then-Superintendent of Schools Chris Scott. She requested time to speak under the agenda item "Teaching civic engagement."

"In an age where voter turnout is poor, we need to show people that their vote matters, that their involvement matters and that their elected officials listen to them and act in the best interest of the majority, not the minority," Laraba said. "Sadly, this council has seen failure on all three counts."

Murphy's portrait generated controversy because it is not traditional, but shows the mayor, his wife and child walking with their backs to the viewer.

"I don't care if you're offended by that portrait, I would like you to be offended about the increasing drug problem in our city and the violence that accompanies it," Laraba said.

Laraba also said the council tried to damage Lynch, Mitchell or Mitchell's husband, blogger Jack Mitchell, and failed.

"When a city councilor acts in a manner that fits their own personal agenda and not the best interest of the city and admits as much on the radio, that is a slap in the face to every voter and resident of this city and I find that the most offensive thing of all," Laraba added.

Mercier, who has been the most vocal about the portrait and library appointment, said Laraba was criticizing her directly.

"She has every right to her opinion and I welcome it," Mercier said. "But do I agree with it? Of course not."

Mercier said the city manager selection process has begun, as has the process to hire a new auditor. She also noted councilors have addressed the spike in violent crime, while anxiously waiting for new Police Superintendent William Taylor to "get his team in place."

Mercier filed a motion late last year calling for a summit to discuss the public-safety issues among many different stakeholders and is waiting for that meeting to occur.

Mayor Rodney Elliott concurred with Mercier. "(Laraba) is entitled to her opinion, but the notion the City Council is focused on just a couple issues is baseless and without merit."

Elliott highlighted how the council approved his motion Tuesday for a community-policing discussion with Taylor, and how the council voted last year to request new police officers be hired in next year's budget.

Mercier stressed repeatedly she is not "anti-woman," just anti-Jack Mitchell.

As for what Laraba said ... Mercier says Jennifer Myers, Murphy's aide who was terminated by Elliott, wrote Laraba's comments. Myers posted Laraba's full comments on Facebook within the hour of her appearance on the Council floor.

Laraba said: "Those were my words."

Myers called Mercier's assertion "ludicrous" and said Laraba can intelligently express her opinions on her own.

MURPHY EMAILED his former colleagues on the portrait issue, also saying they are wasting time on minutia.

"If a portrait of me is to be displayed, this is how I would want it: outdoors, in the streets, walking in the community, where the work gets done, with the people who joined me in the journey and kept me going with the work that I loved, in the midst of the neighborhood where my family had first come to live in Lowell," Murphy continued.

He added that councilors "are looking in the wrong direction" by spending time on issues without substance.

The former mayor's supporters have started a petition on change.org, asking the Council to accept Murphy's portrait.

"If the current City Council chooses not to accept his portrait then they are sending a message to all constituents and Lowellians that if they break from tradition in any way they are to be rejected Lowell is a diverse city made of diverse and beautiful traditions," wrote Lianna Kushi of Lowell, who posted the petition. "This should be celebrated not rejected." As of Friday, more than 120 people had signed.

GERRY NUTTER, one of the city's election commissioners, also took the council to task over the Mitchell appointment. Nutter posted on Facebook: "Where is the Outrage that a women was being passed over while 2 men were approved? How about a vindictive Councilor or two taking out their pettiness and frustration on a women because of her husband? Where are all the concerned women who came out against my comments to an UNKNOWN Blog Poster while these Councilors knowingly snubbed a new US Citizen who just wanted to help her Community. What a bunch of Hypercritical phonies!!!"

Nutter, whose appointment by Lynch was approved in a 7-2 vote last year, promised to stop blogging and has. Some councilors told The Column they were none too pleased he has instead continued his commentary in a new forum.

FORMER COUNCILOR Kevin Broderick was back at City Hall last Monday for the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, which went far from smoothly for his client.

Broderick represented a company planning to purchase 22 Olde Canal Drive and have South Bay Mental Health move into the building, which also will be home to the Habit OpCo methadone clinic.

But action on Olde Canal LLC's special-permit request was delayed because ZBA Chairman William Bailey pointed out the petitioner had failed to post notice of the public hearing at 22 Olde Canal Drive. Such notice must be posted for at least 14 days before the hearing.

"The rules are the rules," Bailey said. "I don't want to be called on the carpet for it because it wasn't enforced."

The board won't take up the matter again until Feb. 10 at the earliest.

THE GREATER Lowell municipal manager who had expressed interest in taking on the Dracut town manager job is staying put. Apparently, questions arose over whether the manager meets all the requirements in the job description. Nothing nefarious here, The Column was told. More than anything, the person is happy with their current job and figured the Dracut hunt wasn't worth aggravation.

The five-member Dracut Town Manager Screening Committee and interviewed two more candidates Tuesday night, bringing to total to four. The last two are scheduled to be interviewed next Tuesday.

"So far we have four great candidates and we'll see what next Tuesday brings," said Chairman Thomas Bomil. "I think we even have a better pool (of candidates) than last time."

Town Manager Dennis Piendak retired last November. The town was set to hire Andover Assistant Town Manager Steven Bucuzzo, but contract negotiations went south. Finance Director Ann Vandal is working as interim town manager.

Once the screening committee has completed interviews, the private company overseeing the search will check backgrounds. Bomil expects selectmen will have four to six final names on Feb. 25.

"I'm only speaking for myself, not the committee," Bomil said. "But I think Dracut's next town manager will be on that list."

BILLERICA POLICE sadly bid farewell to its trusty bloodhound last week. Rosie made a difficult career move and accepted a position with the Union County Sheriff's Office K9 Unit in Pennsylvania, after 2 1/2 years serving Billerica and the region,

New Hampshire State Police donated Rosie to Billerica in 2011. Rosie had been initially donated to NHSP, but it did not have a handler suited for her.

Rosie's Billerica handler, John Harring, was recently promoted to sergeant, so he can no longer continue his K9 duties.

"During her time here, she has proven herself as an excellent tracker and she will be missed by the entire region. It is with mixed emotion that we say goodbye to Rosie, but we know she will continue her effective mission with Union County," according to a statement from Billerica police.

Billerica will continue its K9 involvement with Officer Mark Tsoukalas and K9 Yak.

GREATER LOWELL'S representatives in Congress lined up interesting "dates" for President Barack Obama's State of the Union on Tuesday night.

Each member of Congress is allowed to bring one guest, who sits in the balcony overlooking the House floor. U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas brought along new Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera, whom Tsongas openly supported during last fall's Lawrence election.

U.S. Rep. John Tierney, who represents the North Shore and five communities south of Lowell, invited Dennis Van Roekel, president of the National Education Association (NEA), in Washington, D.C.

A third guest of the Massachusetts delegation had local ties. New U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark invited Melrose Alderman Jennifer Lemmerman, a Wilmington native whose brother, MIT Officer Sean Collier, was slain during the search for Boston Marathon bombing suspects Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

Among the other Mass. guests:

* Sen. Elizabeth Warren invited Zev Dickstein, 11, of Cambridge, a member of his school's math and debate teams. Dickstein began volunteering in political campaigns, most notably his school's committee race.

* Sen. Edward Markey invited Watertown Police Chief Edward Deveau, who is credited with leading officers in Watertown and other neighboring communities to the capture of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

* U.S. Rep. Richard Neal invited Kevin Moran, vice president of news for New England Newspapers Inc. Moran oversees the Berkshire Eagle and two newspapers in Vermont, all sister newspapers to The Sun.

* U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy III invited Jennifer Walsh, a teacher at Milford High School and North America Special Olympics' 2013 Coach of the Year.

The Column's inquiries to U.S. Reps. Michael Capuano, Stephen Lynch, William Keating and James McGovern were not returned.

DEMOCRAT SETH Moulton, challenging Tierney in the 6th district, reported last week that he's raised a ton of money since July. The Moulton for Congress campaign raised $251,813 in the fourth quarter, a total of $607,355 since July. Ninety-eight percent of Moulton's contributions came from individual donors.

Nationally, only one Democratic challenger has raised more during this election cycle. On average, incumbent members of Congress raised $577,948 last year and challengers raised $117,369.

Republican candidate Richard Tisei, a former state legislator who came within 1 percent of beating Tierney in November 2012, raised $434,768 in the fourth quarter of 2013. Tisei's quarter was nearly $130,000 stronger than the same quarter last election cycle.

Tierney, who has served in Congress since 1997, ended September with $561,155 in his campaign account, according to the Federal Election Commission. Tierney represents Billerica, Tewksbury, Wilmington, Bedford, Burlington, Wilmington and North Shore communities.

A COMPETITIVE race could be in the works in the April 1 election for Chelmsford Board of Selectmen. Glenn Kohl, a Wildwood Street resident, took out a nomination form on Thursday, according to the Town Clerk's Office. A former Planning Board and Board of Selectmen member, Bob Joyce, is the only other announced candidate.

Residents have until the end of the day on Friday to take out nomination forms. They have until Feb. 11 to return the forms with signatures from town voters. Kohl, a member of the Agricultural Committee and Grinder Pump Study Committee, couldn't be reached for comment Friday. Joyce ran unsuccessfully last year.

Selectman James Lane is not seeking a second term.

THE U.S.A. women's Olympic hockey team takes to the ice in Sochi, Russia, with a Greater Lowell edge. Team members quietly trained for months at Edge Sports Center in Bedford and stayed with host families in Concord.

State Sen. Mike Barrett, a Lexington Democrat whose district includes those towns, presented the team with an official Senate citation and spoke with the team briefly. "You represent the very best of amateur athletics. When you look around today it's clear that so many kids look up to you," Barrett said, according to an announcement by his office. "You're role models not only for young girls but young boys as well."

"We're behind you all the way," he said.

Game 1 is Feb. 8 vs. Finland. Only true puckheads will be watching live. Game time is 3 a.m. EST.

A FACE familiar to old-timers was on the bench in Lowell District Court last week. Judge Catherine Byrne appeared in court wearing a black robe and adjudicating cases. Byrne was a public defender with the Lowell office of the Committee for Public Counsel Services. Alas, only a handful of attorneys in court on Wednesday have been around long enough to remember that Byrne started in the trenches of Lowell.

GUBERNATORIAL HOPEFUL Juliette Kayyem hopes voters look at the candidate, not the chromosome.

The Cambridge Democrat has been asked to clear a path to the corner office for the better-known Attorney General Martha Coakley -- notably by EMILY's List, the national fundraising group that supports female candidates. Kayyem, who's served in homeland-security roles under both Gov. Deval Patrick and Obama, said that request is "a little premature, given everyone's track record, including mine."

But, she said, the idea of women voting just for women doesn't hold up.

"That's why we have a male mayor in New York, because the female didn't get the vote, and in L.A., and in Boston," Kayyem said. "I think the idea that women sort of blindly follow the chromosome is sort of insulting to female voters ... Women, like men, care about the economy and schools and infrastructure, and they're just voting for the candidate, not the chromosome. And the data is pretty clear on that. So all we said is, let's outraise EMILY's list. And we did."

STATE SEN. Barry Finegold of Andover surprised exactly zero people last week in announcing his run for state treasurer, ending the worst-kept secret in state politics. He joins fellow Democrats Deborah Goldberg of Brookline and state Rep. Tom Conroy of Wayland, plus Republican Mike Heffernan of Wellesley.

Finegold's bid opens a Senate seat that represents his hometown, Lawrence, Dracut and Tewksbury. Andover selectmen Chairman Alex Vispoli, who lost in the 2012 Republican primary, entered the race two months ago. Vispoli was frequently spotted in Tewksbury over the summer, a vocal opponent to the slots casino proposed in his neighboring town.

Among those rumored to be interested: Former state Rep. Barbara L'Italien, who was ousted in 2010 by Rep. Jim Lyons for a district that includes a sliver of Tewksbury, and Lawrence School Committee member Pavel Payano.

FINEGOLD FOUND another new role last week, this one still in the Legislature. He's one of six lawmakers tapped for a conference committee that will iron out the differences between the House and Senate versions of an election-law reform bill that includes provisions for early voting and online registration. The sponsor of the Senate bill, Finegold said the goal is to "dramatically change participation in elections."

"It's really about giving people as much opportunity as possible to participate in the political process," he said. "For a lot of people, it can sometimes be a challenge to vote. I believe what we did with this bill is make it a lot more easy for people to vote."

Finegold's bill includes a measure the House version doesn't -- allowing Lowell's 17-year-olds to vote in city elections.

UTEC's Vote 17 campaign, local teen activists pushing for the earlier voting, has been advocating on social media, urging Lowellians to call the committee members and express support.

MIKE MILES said he has traveled many miles since last March when Betsy Murphy thwarted his reelection bid for a third term on the Dracut School Committee.

Miles visited Ireland for 10 days in September with two friends. Before the trip, Miles, 59, a Lowell police officer and licensed substance-abuse therapist, said he received advice from longtime friend Jim Gookin, the retired Lowell police captain, longtime owner of O'Hara's Tavern and Ireland travel expert.

"If you go to Killarney, you've got to see the Gap of Dunloe," Miles said Gookin told him during their final conversation before Gookin died of lung cancer in October.

Upon their arrival in Killarney, a friend of one of Miles' traveling companions took the trio into Town Hall to meet her friend, Town Manager John Breen. Killarney's town manager insisted on becoming the trio's personal tour guide for the next four hours.

"It was a Wednesday morning in September, and (Breen) spent four hours of his day showing us around," said a still-incredulous Miles. "Can you imagine Bernie Lynch taking three schlubs who walked in off the street on a four-hour tour of Lowell?"

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